Beverage dispenser



Patented July 14, 1942 OFFICE BEVERAGE DISPENSER Jack Schaevitz and Leonard E. Kurlander, Youngstown, Ohio Application May 28, 1940, Serial No. 337,642

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beverage dispenser.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a beverage dispenser unit a plurality of which may be conveniently positioned in a refrigerated cabinet so that any one of a number of various kinds of bottled beverages may be dispensed therefrom upon the insertion of a coin and the movement of a selector dial.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a beverage dispensing unit wherein the bottled beverage to be dispensed is released and delivered instantly upon the insertion of a coin in an associated coin controlled mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a dispenser unit wherein mechanism is employed to intermittently advance a row of bottles or other suitable containers so as to keep the leading bottle or container in each unit in position for instantaneous release and delivery.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a beverage dispensing mechanism comprising a unit adapted to intermittently feed and dispense beverages in suitable containers and wherein the activating movement comprises a threaded screw carrying a pusher plate by means of which the beverage containers are advanced into dispensing position.

A further object of the invention is the provision ,of a bottled beverage dispensing unit the use of a plurality of which in a refrigerated dispensing cabinet insures the continuously satisfactory dispensing of beverages from the dispensing cabinet from at least some of the bottle dispensing units therein as irregularities or mechanical failure of one or two beverage dispensing units in no way affects the operation of the other units in the dispensing cabinet thus insuring the continuous service of the cabinet.

Specifically, the bevarage dispenser shown and described herein comprises a unit mechanism a plurality of which may be positioned in a refrigerated cabinet and when electrically connected to a suitable coin slot mechanism and a selector mechanism will dispense selected beverages or flavors upon the insertion of a coin in the coin mechanism without delay, as the unit mechanism feeds the bottled beverages into dispensing position automatically whenever the leading bottle has been dispensed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a plurality of ure 1 and shows in detail the operating mechanism of one of the bottle dispensing units shown in Figure 1 together with the various allied parts. The broken lines indicate the approximate position of the refrigerated cabinet wall.

Figure 3 is a symbolic wiring diagram showing the wiring circuits necessary for the operation of five dispensing units positioned in a single refrigerated cabinet and controlled by a single selector switch and a single coin controlled mechanism.

By referring to the drawing and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will be seen that the beverage dispenser comprises a plurality of individual dispensing units, a side elevation of one of which is shown in Figure 2, and three of which are shown in the top plan View in Figure 1. Broken lines 10 indicate the approximate wall position of the refrigerated cabinet, and cross members I I positioned therein serve tosupport a plurality of individual dispensing units each of which comprises a motivating screw [2 partially enclosed in a suitable guard l3 immediately above a bottom plate l4 upon which a plurality of bottles may be slidably positioned. The guards l3 serve to position the bottles in an orderly row and a pusher plate l5 positioned on the screw l2 serves to advance the bottles from left to right or toward the dispensing portion which, in each unit, comprises a trap door l6 pivotally mounted on one of the supporting members H at the extreme right or forward end of the bottom plate I4. The trap door It is provided with a spring [1 about the pivot thereof so that it normally tends to remain in closed position as shown in solid lines in the drawing. Positioned immediately in under the bottom plate M and in operative relation to the trap door I6 there is a magnetic latch ill, the electro magnet coil of which is indicated by the numeral IS. The electrical connection wires leading from this electro magnet coil l9 lead, as may be seen by referring to the symbolic diagram in Figure 3, through a selector switch to the coin controlled switch 2| so that a coin inserted in the coin controlled switch 2| activates the magnetic latch [8 thus releasing the trap door [6 and dropping a bottle thereon into a delivery chute 22 as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2. It is obvious that as many delivery chutes as necessary may be employed and that they may all terminate in a single delivery outlet in the front or in any other convenient location of the dispensing cabinet Ii). In order that bottles of beverages may be advanced so as to place another bottle in dispensing position on the trap door IS a pressure switch 23 is positioned on a vertical partition 24 in the front of the dispenser unit so that an operating plate 25 thereof is released when the bottle on the trap door I6 is dropped, thus permitting the operating plate 25 to move outwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and close the switch 23 which is electrically connected, as may be seen in the symbolic diagram in Figure 3, by means of wires to a power supply and electric motor 28. The motor is indirectly connected to the motivating screw l2 by means of a reduction gear assembly 21 and a flexible connection 28 so that the motivating screw I2 is revolved thereby, thus causing the pusher plate IE to advance the row of bottles until the forwardmost bottle contacts the operating plate 25 of the switch 23 which, in turn, disconnects the motor 26 thus accurately and automatically positioning the next bottle in line upon the trap door It.

In an average dispensing cabinet a number of individual dispensing units are positioned side by side and in these instances the supporting members ll support the motivating screw I2 of each of the units by means of pillow blocks 29. In order that the bottle channels formed by the guards l3 may be refilled from time to time, the pusher plate l5 has been provided with a manually operated clutch 3%] so that it may be released from engagement with the screw i2 and slid backwardly to permit the positioning of additional bottles in the dispensing line.

It will thus be seen that each dispensing unit comprises a bottom plate [4 and one or more guards it between which a plurality of bottles to be dispensed are positioned and further, that the motivating screw l2 in connection with the pusher plate l5 serves to advance the row of bottles into dispensing position depending upon the'control of the pressure operated switch 23, the operating plate 25 of which contacts the bottle arriving in dispensing position and serves to disconnect the motor 26 so as to stop the advancement of the bottles in the dispensing unit. It will also be seen that an entirely separate electrical circuit activated by a coin controlled switch 2| and directed by means of a selector switch 20 serves to activate the magnetic latch l3 which efiectively releases the trap door It and drops the bottle in dispensing position into a delivery chute 22 instantaneously upon the insertion of a coin in the coin switch 2i. It is obvious that it may be necessary to incorporate delayed action switches in connection with the operation of the latch i8 so that continuous dispensing from a single dispensing unit will delay the operation of the switch t8 3, short time so as to permit the motivating screw to advance the next bottle in line into delivery position.

It will thus be seen that a dispensing unit has been provided which, when used singularly or in connection with a plurality of similar units in a refrigerated cabinet, will serve to accurately and rapidly dispense bottled beverages without the attention of an attendant and that in the event that any one of the dispensing units becomes inoperative the remaining units are unaffected and hence keep the dispensing cabinet in active operation at all times.

What we claim is:

1. A beverage dispensing unit wherein a plurality of beverage containers are slideably positioned in a horizontal row, motivating means for advancing the row of beverage containers comprising a motivating screw positioned at one side of the row of beverage containers, and a pusher plate engaging the said screw and the said beverage containers so that revolving motion of the said screw causes the pusher plate to move the row of beverage containers, a trap door beneath the position of the foremost beverage container, switch means positioned above the said trap door and adapted to be engaged by the foremost beverage container, the switch means adapted to control the movement of' the said motivating screw, a latch normally retaining the said trap door in closed position, a spring adapted to normally retain the trap door in closed position, and remotely positioned switch means adapted to control the said latch.

2. In a beverage dispensing device comprising a refrigerated cabinet having a plurality of dispensing units positioned therein, each of the said dispensing units comprising a bottom plate, a pair of guide members positioned thereabove so as to form a channel for the reception of a row of beverage containers, means for advancing the row of beverage containers, said means comprising a motivating screw positioned adjacent the said row of beverage containers and a pusher plate positioned in the said channel and engaging the said motivating screw, clutch means formed on the said pusher plate so as to permit the said pusher plate to be manually released from the said motivating screw and moved backwardly thereon, a pressure operated electrical switch positioned at the foremost end of the said channel and adapted to be operated by contact thereagainst of the foremost beverage container, the said electrical switch controlling a motor coupled to the said motivating screw, a trap door formed in the bottom plate beneath the pressure operated switch and underneath the foremost beverage container and independently operated latch means for releasing the said trap door so as to drop the foremost beverage container therethrough for delivery from the said dispensing cabinet.

3. In a beverage dispensing device the combination of a refrigerated cabinet and a plurality of beverage dispensing units positioned therein, each of the said beverage dispensing units comprising a bottom plate, a pair of spaced guide members positioned thereabove so as to form a channel for the reception of a row of beverage containers, a pusher plate positioned in the said channel and engaging the said motivating screw, a releasable clutch forming the means of engagement therefor so that the pusher plate may be released from the said motivating screw and moved backwardly thereupon, a pressure operated control member positioned at the foremost end of the said channel nd adapted to be operated by contact of the foremost beverage container thereagainst, the said pressure operated control member controlling a motor coupled to the said motivating screw, and a trap door formed in the bottom plate beneath the foremost beverage container, an electrically operated latch controlling the said trap door, a spring normally retaining the trap door in closed position and a remotely positioned electrical switch controlling the said electrically operated latch so that a beverage container on the trap door may be delivered from the row of beverage containers by manual operation of the said remotely positioned switch.

4. In a beverage dispensing unit wherein a plurality of beverage containers are slidably positioned in a row the combination of means for advancing the row of beverage containers,

said means comprising a motivating screw positioned at one side of the said row of beverage containers, a pusher plate engaging the said screw so that revolving motion thereof causes the pusher plate to advance the row of beverage containers, and means for controlling the motion imparted to the said motivating screw, said means comprising a contact plate positioned in front of the foremost beverage container and adapted to be engaged thereby, and means for delivering the said beverage containers comprising a trap door beneath the position of the foremost beverage container and independent means for contrplling the operation of the trap door.

JACK SCHAEVITZ. LEONARD E. KURLANDER. 

